Cover for meter boxes



April 13, I943.

V. R. VAN DYK ETAL COVER FOR METER BOXES Filed July 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor ///V in? fl/azr [4m I B] Attorney April 13, 1943. v. R. VAN DYK ET AL COVER FOR METER BOXES 2 Sheets-She et 2 Filed July l5, 1941 Inventor 1 Z. Z4 DM'. fl/akr [42%1 A tron/q Patented Apr. 13, 1943 COVER FOR METER BOXES Victor B. Van Dyk, Lewiston, and Mort Early,

'- Moscow, Idaho Application July 15, 1941, Serial No. 402,564

1' Claim. (Cl. 220-35) Our invention relates to improvements in covers for water meter boxes, and the principal objects in view is to provide a strong, substantially waterproof cover for such boxes adapted for easy opening and closing, to be quickly locked and unembodiment of our invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 is a view in top plan drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 3 is a view in longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 3 illustrating the cover plate opened,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 6 is a View in vertical transverse section taken on the line 3-6 of Figure 3 and drawn to an enlarged scale,

Figure 7 is a view in horizontal section taken on the line 1-! of Figure 6,

Figure 8 is a view in elevation of the key, and

Figure 9 is a view in side elevation of said key.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, according to our invention, a cylindrical box, or vault, l of concrete, or cement, is formed around the usual sub-surface water meter 2.

The box I is closed by a cover structure, the basic element of which is a casting comprising a fiat circular base 3 having an upstanding upwardly tapering, flange embodying right angularly related front and side walls 4, 5, and a rearwardly bulging rear wall 6. Suitable fillets I extend between the front and side walls 4, 5 and the top of the base 3. The base 3 is of the proper diameter to fit the top of the box I. The flange is provided with an upper, internal ledge 9 extending along the front and side walls 4, 5 to seat a cast. metal cover plate I of the same edge contour as said flange and adapted to fit therein on the ledge 9 flush with the top of the casting, as best shown in Figure 3. The edges of the cover plate II! are beveled, and the walls 4, also beveled above the ledge 9, as illustrated 'for instance at I I, and I2, to provide for closing of the cover plate I0 into the flange.

A rodlike hinge pintle :3 extends through; the bulge 6 of the cover plate II) at a right angle, to the wide walls 5 and has its ends seated; in a pair of upper edge apertures I3 provided in the rear wall 6 whereby said plate I0 is vertically swingable on said rear wall 6 into opening and closing position.

Fast on the bottom of the cover plate ID, in the longitudinal center thereof, and at aright angle to the axis of swinging movement thereof is a V-shaped spring guide I5, said guide extending forwardly and rearwardly of the pintle I3.

A coil spring I6 is slidably connected, at one end, to said guide I5 with its other end connected to a cross rod I'I extending across the bulge of the rear wall 6, within the latter, and having its opposite ends suitably anchored to the wall 6. As best shown in Figures 3 and 4, the rod I! is disposed forwardly of the spring guide I5 and the arrangement of said guide is such that under swinging downwardly of the cover plate I0 past a vertical position, the spring will slide along the guide I5 forwardly to exert a pull on the cover plate forwardly of the pintle I3 and thereby tend to close the plate, whereas, under swinging of said cover plate upwardly past vertical position, the spring I6 will slide rearwardly along said guide [5 to exert a pull against said plate in the rear of the pintle I3 thereby tending to yieldingly maintain the cover plate l0 open in a slightly rearwardly inclined position.

A pair of coil springs I 3 are provided in upstanding position upon opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the cover plates for boosting the cover plate toward opening position and cushioning closing movement thereof, said springs being accommodated in a pair of open top pocket forming bosses I9 provided on the inner face of the front wall 4.

A locking bolt 23 is provided on the under side of the cover plate I o in the longitudinal center thereof for endwise sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly into locking and unlocking positions, respectively, said bolt projecting, in its locking position, under the ledge 9 and having the usual beveled front end 2| for camming the same into unlocking position by engagement with said ledge 9 under closing of the cover plate It. The locking bolt 23 is slidably mounted in a channeled guide 22 depending from the cover plate Ill and is provided with a bottom rear end stop lug 23 for abutting the rear end of said guide to establish the locking position of the bolt. A rear, upstanding flange 24 is provided on the locking bolt 20 designed for engagement by a flat hooklike key 25 provided for insertion through an oblong keyhole 26 in the cover plate It] and into engagement with the front side of said flange 24 and for fulcruming against the front side of the keyhole 26 and said lug to pry the bolt 20 into retracted unlocking position. The locking bolt 20 is reduced in thickness and provided with side Walls 20 forming a trough accommodating a bolt tensioning coil spring 21 interposed between a front shoulder 28 on said bolt and a cross pin 29 extending between the sides of the guide 22. The pin 29 may be suitably arranged for rotary adjustment to tension the spring 21 in a manner not shown.

A suitable covering flap 3|] pivoted on the cover plate 10, as at 3|, provides for covering and un- 7 covering the keyhole 26.

As will now be seen, when the cover plate is unlocked, in the manner described, and opened past vertical position it is maintained yieldingly in such position by the spring l6 and when it is swung toward closing position past the vertical, it is pulled closed by the spring l9 positively, the springs l8 cushioning the same in final closing so as to prevent breakage.

The foregoing Will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of our invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claim.

What I claim is:

A closure for meter boxes comprising a base plate, an upstanding flange on said plate defining a substantially rectangular opening, a cover plate fitting in said opening, a hinge pintle extending through said plate adjacent and spaced 10 from one end of the plate and having the opposite ends thereof journaled in said flange whereby said plate is vertically swingable into and from closing positions relative to said opening, a coil spring fixed at one end in said opening substantially beneath said pintle, connections between the opposite end of said spring and said plate acting to shift said other end to opposite sides of the axis of said pintle under swinging of the plate to opposite sides of a dead center position relative to said axis whereby said spring is caused to act to close the cover plate or to maintain the same open, said connections comprising a V-shaped guide on the bottom of the plate having its ends connected to the plate at opposite sides of the axis of swinging movement of the plate, and an eye on said spring sliding in said guide.

V. R. VAN DYK. MORT EARLY. 

